To Kobe!

After taking us to the bird sanctuary her sister and co. decided to take us to the city of Kobe for an unique experience. Kobe is a port city and very large. Lots of shopping and malls and fancy shops. Took about an hour to drive their I think, the kids mostly passed out in the back and us enjoying the highway view, at times.

I should mention the Japanese highway is rather different. I don't know if its all over the country like this, but so far as I have seen, you first have to pay to go on, and you are usually walled in. As in their are big noise dampening walls all around you. Naomi said its a double purpose to also stop people from staring off and make them concentrate on driving. I think it would bore you to sleep giving you the same type of outcome.

So here is a few shots along the way including the city of Kobe.

Here there was a monument to the Navy since Kobe was a major port before and during the war.


So after parking a huge malls parking lot, we walked up to our waiting surprise..

The Shin-Kobe Ropeway! Not something exactly exciting for Naomi and I as we both hate heights. Even more so when your in a small box hanging by a cable going up a mountain at a very high heights. However, you got a great view of the city and mountainside. So here are some pics of the way up.

Once you finally get to the top (about 15 minutes) there was a big rest station and lots of photo ops. You then walk down about 1/4 of the way and then take the car back down the way you came. They had a herb garden at one part that had just about every herb you could imagine all in different flower pots. And labels for all of them too. Lots of gardens and even a small indoor botanical garden as well.

After our nice walk back down we headed back into the car for the ride down. Just as scary as the way up. But again some nice pics!

After we got back down, we headed back to the car for the long drive back to the train station. Most of us were passed out for most of the way. We said our goodbyes (but will see them again near the end of the month) and jumped on the train for a sleepy ride home. We were both quite hungry and went for udon when we got back. We went to the restaurant Naomi used to work at, a chain restaurant, but they make they use their own hand made udon noodles and the food is fantastic. As most chains tend to be here..strangely. I went for the Curry udon, a curry soup with some beef in it as well and the Noodles, and Naomi got a cold udon salad. Mine was scalding hot and delicious as was Naomi's (but...not hot). First pic is mine, hers the other.

Next up is a trip to downtown Osaka!